


High Heels in the Hallway

by raspberry_rose



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Sirius has a panic attack, Swearing, Walburga Black’s A+ Parenting, after Sirius runs away, first fic, first posted fic anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 08:48:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30002334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberry_rose/pseuds/raspberry_rose
Summary: Sirius wakes in the middle of the night, hearing his mother’s footsteps in the hallway.
Relationships: Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Walburga Black
Comments: 12
Kudos: 12





	High Heels in the Hallway

**Author's Note:**

> content warnings for implied/referenced abuse and panic attacks

_Footsteps._ Sirius woke with a start. The ticking sound of high heels, with slight time differences as if the wearer walked with a slight limp. _Mother._

Where was he? He tried to look around, but it was too dark. He couldn’t see anything. He felt a bed beneath him. He must be in his room—his attempt to run away must have failed. Now she was coming to punish him. _Shit shit shit._

The sound came closer. He couldn’t get away. He put his hands over his ears, anything to not hear his mother come closer; as if that would make her disappear. It didn’t help. The sound persisted, as if it was coming directly through his brain.

Sirius’s breathing quickened.

 _Tick, tick, tick._ Like a doomsday clock. He felt like the air didn’t have enough oxygen; as if someone had thinned the air—diluted it like vinegar until nearly nothing remained. She was coming, and he couldn’t escape or defend himself.

 _Tick, tick, tick._ Sirius’s chest was heaving rapidly. He was shaking like a leaf during a storm; just barely holding onto the branch was his sanity. _Tick._ The sound got impossibly close. _Tick._ She’d be here any moment now. _Tick._

"Please, no." His voice was shaky. _Tick._ "Please, I’m begging you." _Tick._ Tears streamed down his face. He was rocking back and forth, hands over his ears as the sound got ever closer. _"Please."_

Suddenly, the light flickered on.  
"Sirius?"

A male voice. A face appeared in the doorway.

"J-James?"

"Yes. It's me." James sat down in front of Sirius and looked him in the eyes. "You're at my house. You're with me. You’re safe."

It all came flooding back to Sirius. He’d arrived last night on the Potters' doorstep. Monty and Mia had taken him in. He’d slept in the bedroom next to James’s room. He lived here now, at the Potters'. Not at Grimmauld place. Not with his parents. He was safe.

Sirius collapsed—all the tension had disappeared from his body like a deflated balloon. He could finally breathe.

"Could you…" he started, but his voice faltered. James nodded at him encouragingly, his eyes kind and understanding. "Could you please… stay with me?"

James smiled.  
"Of course."

He crawled into the bed next to Sirius. The nightlight stayed on, and they snuggled together. James was right beside him, heat radiating off him and keeping Sirius warm. Sirius felt his eyelids begin to droop. He'd imagined all of it, was his last thought before he dozed off to sleep.

_He was safe._


End file.
